Astronomers have found the largest reservoir of water ever discovered in the …

Using a pair of sub-millimeter wavelength telescopes, two teams of astronomers have discovered the largest reservoir of water ever found in the Universe. The water-containing cloud was found near quasar APM 08279+5255, some 12 billion light years from Earth; this means that the radiation seen today from this quasar was emitted when the universe was a scant 1.6 billion years old. Calculations have placed the mass of water vapor in the cloud at approximately 100,000 solar masses, or 140 trillion times the mass of all water on the planet Earth.

At the center of APM 08279+5255 is a supermassive black hole that is 20 billion solar masses. It puts out more than 65,000 times the energy that the entire Milky Way does. This energy is seen in the form of infrared and X-rays, and it allows astronomers to ask questions about the nature of the black hole and the surrounding dust and gas cloud. Analysis of emissions from the water vapor, for example, gives astronomers an idea of how the radiation from the quasar is heating the surrounding gas.

The vapor cloud spans several hundred light years. Given the size, calculations indicate that the water vapor is dense when compared to many other astronomical vapors—it is about one to two orders of magnitude denser and about 5 times hotter than water vapor found in a typical galaxy. However, the water vapor found in the Earth's atmosphere is 3x1014 times the density of this material. Based on the other molecules observed in the cloud, the researchers estimate that it contains enough matter that, if it were all devoured by the black hole, it could grow to six times its already supermassive size.

Hmm... so, the size of the vapor cloud is 140 trillion times the amount of all water on earth, yet water vapor on earth is 3x10^14 more dense... so, the question is, how much is it REALLY in comparison to earth's water??

Hmm... so, the size of the vapor cloud is 140 trillion times the amount of all water on earth, yet water vapor on earth is 3x10^14 more dense... so, the question is, how much is it REALLY in comparison to earth's water??

I'm still confused why every article about this discovery calls this thing a water "reservoir". Because you know, its clearly an artificial construct that looks like a lake made by intelligent super-beings to store their water near a black hole in space where no one but them can get to it. Or we could just call it a "water cloud" or a "water nebula" which is much more accurate... it just seems to me like a really odd word choice that has now stuck.

I'm still confused why every article about this discovery calls this thing a water "reservoir". Because you know, its clearly an artificial construct that looks like a lake made by intelligent super-beings to store their water near a black hole in space where no one but them can get to it. Or we could just call it a "water cloud" or a "water nebula" which is much more accurate... it just seems to me like a really odd word choice that has now stuck.

res·er·voir/ˈrezə(r)ˌvwär/Noun1. A large natural or artificial lake used as a source of water supply.2. A supply or source of something

res·er·voir/ˈrezə(r)ˌvwär/Noun1. A large natural or artificial lake used as a source of water supply.2. A supply or source of something

Both definitions seem to fit.

It's not really a supply if nobody can ever reach it (assuming it still exists after the 12 billions years it took for a signal to reach Earth). I'm with Kani. Not that it really matters, as we use figurative language with astronomy all the time.

I'm still confused why every article about this discovery calls this thing a water "reservoir". Because you know, its clearly an artificial construct that looks like a lake made by intelligent super-beings to store their water near a black hole in space where no one but them can get to it. Or we could just call it a "water cloud" or a "water nebula" which is much more accurate... it just seems to me like a really odd word choice that has now stuck.

res·er·voir/ˈrezə(r)ˌvwär/Noun1. A large natural or artificial lake used as a source of water supply.2. A supply or source of something

Both definitions seem to fit.

So you are implying its lake like? It isn't. I mean, how would you have a lake in space? All the water just floats off and you get a nebula. Or maybe you are implying its a source of water for us, only its 12 billion years old and 12 billion light years away. So you know, I'll just hop over there in my space and time machine and get me some. Or it could just be poor word choice.

I'm still confused why every article about this discovery calls this thing a water "reservoir". Because you know, its clearly an artificial construct that looks like a lake made by intelligent super-beings to store their water near a black hole in space where no one but them can get to it. Or we could just call it a "water cloud" or a "water nebula" which is much more accurate... it just seems to me like a really odd word choice that has now stuck.

res·er·voir/ˈrezə(r)ˌvwär/Noun1. A large natural or artificial lake used as a source of water supply.2. A supply or source of something

Both definitions seem to fit.

So you are implying its lake like? It isn't. I mean, how would you have a lake in space? All the water just floats off and you get a nebula. Or maybe you are implying its a source of water for us, only its 12 billion years old and 12 billion light years away. So you know, I'll just hop over there in my space and time machine and get me some. Or it could just be poor word choice.

Or the universe has other plans for that water other than your weekend trip through a time machine to go yachting in it.

I'm still confused why every article about this discovery calls this thing a water "reservoir". Because you know, its clearly an artificial construct that looks like a lake made by intelligent super-beings to store their water near a black hole in space where no one but them can get to it. Or we could just call it a "water cloud" or a "water nebula" which is much more accurate... it just seems to me like a really odd word choice that has now stuck.

res·er·voir/ˈrezə(r)ˌvwär/Noun1. A large natural or artificial lake used as a source of water supply.2. A supply or source of something

Both definitions seem to fit.

So you are implying its lake like? It isn't. I mean, how would you have a lake in space? All the water just floats off and you get a nebula. Or maybe you are implying its a source of water for us, only its 12 billion years old and 12 billion light years away. So you know, I'll just hop over there in my space and time machine and get me some. Or it could just be poor word choice.

Or the universe has other plans for that water other than your weekend trip through a time machine to go yachting in it.

Oh, so now the universe is planning. Excellent. We'll foil it's fiendish plans yet! Can't let those laws of physics have their way.

Not trying to make a mountain out of a molehill (although it appears I have now) but every article I've seen on this subject yet uses the word "reservoir" and its just plan bizarre.

100,000 suns worth of water? Twelve thousand million light years away? And here we sit, composed of elements that were synthesized inside stars, observing and contemplating the cosmos from which we came. The universe that contains things like this discovery allows for the evolution of molecular machines as intricate as human beings; nothing else is needed for a sense of awe and wonder than the reality of the cosmos.

I'm still confused why every article about this discovery calls this thing a water "reservoir". Because you know, its clearly an artificial construct that looks like a lake made by intelligent super-beings to store their water near a black hole in space where no one but them can get to it. Or we could just call it a "water cloud" or a "water nebula" which is much more accurate... it just seems to me like a really odd word choice that has now stuck.

res·er·voir/ˈrezə(r)ˌvwär/Noun1. A large natural or artificial lake used as a source of water supply.2. A supply or source of something

Both definitions seem to fit.

So you are implying its lake like? It isn't. I mean, how would you have a lake in space? All the water just floats off and you get a nebula. Or maybe you are implying its a source of water for us, only its 12 billion years old and 12 billion light years away. So you know, I'll just hop over there in my space and time machine and get me some. Or it could just be poor word choice.

Or the universe has other plans for that water other than your weekend trip through a time machine to go yachting in it.

Oh, so now the universe is planning. Excellent. We'll foil it's fiendish plans yet! Can't let those laws of physics have their way.

Not trying to make a mountain out of a molehill (although it appears I have now) but every article I've seen on this subject yet uses the word "reservoir" and its just plan bizarre.

I just mean the Earth is not the center of the universe, and that large body of water will be a source material for planets, comets, or even mass for the black hole it's orbiting. So it is both a source and a supply of something. You are right that we won't use it. I'm not even sure the great FSM will use it. But if we don't make mountains out of molehills, whatever else would we do on a Monday morning? :D

I just mean the Earth is not the center of the universe, and that large body of water will be a source material for planets, comets, or even mass for the black hole it's orbiting. So it is both a source and a supply of something. You are right that we won't use it. I'm not even sure the great FSM will use it. But if we don't make mountains out of molehills, whatever else would we do on a Monday morning?

Ah, Monday morning.... I might add that the Great FSM might indeed use it. Add some malt, hops, and yeast to the mix and it could be used to supply the heavenly beer volcanoes.

I just mean the Earth is not the center of the universe, and that large body of water will be a source material for planets, comets, or even mass for the black hole it's orbiting. So it is both a source and a supply of something. You are right that we won't use it. I'm not even sure the great FSM will use it. But if we don't make mountains out of molehills, whatever else would we do on a Monday morning?

Ah, Monday morning.... I might add that the Great FSM might indeed use it. Add some malt, hops, and yeast to the mix and it could be used to supply the heavenly beer volcanoes.

One recalls that astronomers found clouds containing ethyl formate in the Milky Way. Our galaxy tastes like raspberries and smells like rum. Really.

Hmm... so, the size of the vapor cloud is 140 trillion times the amount of all water on earth, yet water vapor on earth is 3x10^14 more dense... so, the question is, how much is it REALLY in comparison to earth's water??

...I don't feel like mathing it out myself...

I'm glad to help out. When you "math it out", it's *really* 140 trillion times the amount of all the water on earth. Glad I could help.

[Oh, so now the universe is planning. Excellent. We'll foil it's fiendish plans yet! Can't let those laws of physics have their way.

Not trying to make a mountain out of a molehill (although it appears I have now) but every article I've seen on this subject yet uses the word "reservoir" and its just plan bizarre.

Language is not static. It's constantly evolving. That dictionary isn't written in stone. The definitions and scope of words in a living language are constantly in flux. If it is common usage then it will enter the lexicon.

Hmm... so, the size of the vapor cloud is 140 trillion times the amount of all water on earth, yet water vapor on earth is 3x10^14 more dense... so, the question is, how much is it REALLY in comparison to earth's water??

...I don't feel like mathing it out myself...

Mass is mass. Density is the ratio of mass to volume. "How much" in comparison to earth is 140 trillion times by mass.

I decided to swing by this morning to check it out. It was a long way, and I was really thirsty. A couple of trillion glasses of water would've really hit the spot. Wouldn't you know it: someone else had already drunk it all. Oh, and I think he followed me home. Sorry, 'bout that.

Remind me again why the aliens from Independence Day took the effort to come down into our gravity well and coordinate/execute a worldwide attack? I guess they didn't have sub-millimeter wavelength telescopes at their disposal.

Remind me again why the aliens from Independence Day took the effort to come down into our gravity well and coordinate/execute a worldwide attack? I guess they didn't have sub-millimeter wavelength telescopes at their disposal.

The more we learn about the universe, the less reasonable the "we need Earth's resources!" plot becomes. One of the reasons we have a space program is because Earth needs space's resources! I mean, we could solve all of our fuel problems if we had access to one of the lightyears-wide clouds of methane floating around. This cloud of water would be overkill for us; we could ensure we have plenty of fresh water on Earth by simply picking up one of the Mt. Everest-sized icebergs floating around Saturn.

Oddly, the only thing Earth has that nowhere else has is humans. Thus the only plot of this type that still makes any sense is the "Mars needs women" plot.

Hmm... so, the size of the vapor cloud is 140 trillion times the amount of all water on earth, yet water vapor on earth is 3x10^14 more dense... so, the question is, how much is it REALLY in comparison to earth's water??

...I don't feel like mathing it out myself...

140 trillion times the mass of our water.

Quote:

Calculations have placed the mass of water vapor in the cloud at approximately 100,000 solar masses, or 140 trillion times the mass of all water on the planet Earth

I'm still confused why every article about this discovery calls this thing a water "reservoir". Because you know, its clearly an artificial construct that looks like a lake made by intelligent super-beings to store their water near a black hole in space where no one but them can get to it. Or we could just call it a "water cloud" or a "water nebula" which is much more accurate... it just seems to me like a really odd word choice that has now stuck.

res·er·voir/ˈrezə(r)ˌvwär/Noun1. A large natural or artificial lake used as a source of water supply.2. A supply or source of something

Both definitions seem to fit.

So you are implying its lake like? It isn't. I mean, how would you have a lake in space? All the water just floats off and you get a nebula. Or maybe you are implying its a source of water for us, only its 12 billion years old and 12 billion light years away. So you know, I'll just hop over there in my space and time machine and get me some. Or it could just be poor word choice.

Or the universe has other plans for that water other than your weekend trip through a time machine to go yachting in it.

Oh, so now the universe is planning. Excellent. We'll foil it's fiendish plans yet! Can't let those laws of physics have their way.

Not trying to make a mountain out of a molehill (although it appears I have now) but every article I've seen on this subject yet uses the word "reservoir" and its just plan bizarre.

This is one of the best examples of inane (and wrong) pedantry I have seen in a long time. Good work, sir. I salute you.

I love cool stories like this one. I have a few questions.What is a sub-millimeter wavelength telescope?Is this the first water vapor cloud found around a Quasar?What is normally found orbiting a Quasar?How do Quasars and Black Holes interact with each other?What are the chances that life would be found there?

I always feel so small and sub-atomic after reading this stuff. Sex is so primal...and that means I was evolved from space goo just to have sex to create more of us. Why..I don't know, but I always want more sex.

How does this even exist? how did it start? heck what we are seeing now was created before we were even a sentient species. Outer space is so very massive, the primal human mind cannot even comprehend it.

If we don't kill ourselves will we even be able to go FTL? Physics say no, and if that's the case we will be limited to our solar system till the sun goes super nova on our race, and then it's game over forever for us.

Matt Ford / Matt is a contributing writer at Ars Technica, focusing on physics, astronomy, chemistry, mathematics, and engineering. When he's not writing, he works on realtime models of large-scale engineering systems.